The Nightmares
by TriciaKurosawa
Summary: Takes place after the best ending of Trapt.


Being greeted by the darkness was not a good sign. I could not even see the ground, much less my own feet. Residing in the unknown terrified me.

"Hello?" I called. Not even an echo resounded, as though the nothingness swallowed my words. "Hello?!" I cried again, daring to take a step forward. Relieved that there was actually some sort of solid surface beneath me, I ventured forward, trying to discover any other source of life. It was horribly lonesome here, and my very own sanity felt threatened.

I assumed that I had been walking for a very long time, forgetting ever-so-often what I was seeking. Company – that was what I was yearning for. That was what I kept on reminding myself, in order to keep my mind intact. I was fragile, and I knew that. Others would constantly prompt me of this fact. With no one else here to point this out, I felt even more weak and terrified.

Just when it seemed I would discover nothing, a faint light gleamed in the distance. The tiny speck in the immense darkness gave me some sort of hope. With nothing else to focus on, I ran towards the source, anticipating what awaited me. However, as the light grew bigger and brighter, I halted to a stop. I found myself surrounded by darkness again, but this time, I stood in a small beam of light. I looked up, trying to find out where the light originated from, but to no avail. In a world of blackness, all I had to cherish was a bit of obscure lighting.

Something grabbing my ankle, I yelped as I jumped away. Looking down, I was shocked that the thing that grabbed me was an elderly, blood-covered man that donned only luxurious clothing.

"F-Father...?" I stammered, too frightened to approach him nor move away. There was no way he was here; he was struck by Hertzog's halberd, dying within a matter of minutes!

With struggle, the king arched himself up with one arm, coughing, "Ali... cia..." As he looked up at me, I screamed as I saw nothing but blank, white eyes. His mouth still hanging agape, he shakily reached his other arm towards me as he said, "Please... You want to see y-your mother again... do you not?" As his body slumped forward, his hand reaching for me, I stumbled back, quivering in fright. However, my right heel lost balance as it could not find a ground to sit on. Before I could fall back, I regained my balance, looking behind me. Apparently, all the darkness that lied outside the light's barrier was no longer a surface. My own solace became my prison.

"Princess..." Startled by the other voice calling out – a voice that was all too familiar – I looked up at the darkness to see where it originated from. Almost blending in with the area, for her clothes were almost as dark, a silver-haired woman approached, saying with a sweet voice, "My princess... My sister..."

"Rachel...?" I breathed, taking a step back as I stared at her with wide eyes. Remembering that my father was behind me, I looked back at the ground, but his haunting image was nowhere to be found.

As I looked back at Rachel, she continued to stride across the air. Pulling out a dagger, her voice dropped as she continued, "Well, why are you not dead yet? Sacrifice yourself; that's all I ask." Terrified, I tried my best to gain distance, but there was so little room to do so.

Suddenly, a sense of dread fell upon me. I had the intense urge to not look behind me. Incredibly reluctant, I peeked over my shoulder, only to see the worst creature luring from behind. Completely turning around, I felt my knees go weak as I exclaimed, "M-Malphas!" The demon made no response, but he continued to approach me. Knowing there was nowhere to run, I fell to my knees, staring at the ground in disbelief as I held my head in my hands. "You shouldn't be here... None of you should be here!"

I still received no reply, but I heard those words in my mind: "Offer me your soul." Shaking my head wildly, my eyes widened as I tried to shut the noise out. It kept calling my name, trying to claim me. I would not let it, and I kept on refusing. Still, it kept insisting, using my name to lure me out. Just leave me alone. _Just leave me alone!_

"Princess!"

My eyes shot open as my sweaty body quaked frantically. Still bewildered, I sat up as I tried to grasp what the current situation was. Taking several jagged breaths, I realized that I was residing in a dark tent with a blanket covering me. To my ultimate relief, it was all a dream.

"Was it another nightmare?" Looking over, I noted that Jais was by my side. His hand rested on my shoulder for comfort. I must have stirred or talked in my slumber. He must have been terribly worried.

Hesitantly nodding, I stared at the ground as I slowly explained, "It was the same one, in the end. All of my actions – all of the sins I've committed – came back to haunt me." Grabbing the blanket tightly in my hands, I added, "I'm sorry, Jais. I must have scared you for a second."

"You had," Jais admitted, slightly chuckling as he released my shoulder, "but you are fine now, and for that, I'm relieved." Raising to a crouch, since there was not enough room to fully stand, he offered, "I just made some breakfast, if you happen to be famished."

After I nodded, Jais left the tent. He had been looking after me after these various, horrid events came to an end. Though he denies it, I am forever indebted to him. Wrapping the blanket around me to keep me warm, I, too, exited the tent and took a seat at a nearby log. The sun had not risen yet, but the faint shades sprawled across the lower areas of the sky tell its upcoming approach.

"I'm sorry it's not what the cooking staff usually present," Jais began, approaching with a handcrafted bowl of some sort of meat, "but this is all I could find, Your Majesty."

"It's fine," I assured, attempting to put a smile on my face as I took the bowl into my own hands, "and please, did I not ask you to call me Alicia?"

"S-Sorry..."Jais said, giving a hesitant bow as an apology. Poking at my food, I soon lost interest as I stared at the horizon. From here, I was able to see the towers of the castle. After leaving the mansion, Jais and I had arrived home safely, and for a brief moment, I became the queen of Fronenberg. However, some of the possessed puppets that belonged to the fiend still lingered, overtaking the castle. We managed to escape, but it is upsetting to see the country as a lost cause. In the end, it was not war that brought Fronenberg down, but it was by its own people, especially by the royal family.

Standing by where the campfire was, Jais suggested, "So, I had been thinking all night, and I believe that we could live in our enemy country. Of course, we would have to give up our identities if we were to live in peace. It would feel weird for me to give up my knighthood, but in order to-"

"No," I interjected, "we can go farther." Jais glanced at me, awaiting an explanation. Staring at the castle, the structure that was once my home, I continued, "I want to get away from here, as far as possible." I wanted to leave these monsters, these demons – these nightmares. All I desired was to run away from it all.

"I want to close this godawful book and burn it..."


End file.
